The following U.S. patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety: U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,431 A, issued Jun. 25, 1996 to Walsh, entitled Temporary Manhole Cover and Method (herein “Walsh”). Walsh provides background information regarding manholes and manhole covers, and proposes a temporary solution for allowing air and light into a manhole while preventing any tools or other large objects from accidentally falling down the open manhole and hitting the worker. See Walsh, Col. 2, lines 30-35. While the art teaches temporary manhole covers that allow light and air to pass through while protecting workers and others from any injury, Applicant has found that a need exists for a solution that would allow workers' hands and tools to readily pass into and out of the manhole while still preventing the severe injuries that could occur if a worker's entire body were to fall into the manhole.